As part of Cheltenham College's Choral Festival, the acclaimed Queen's Six are opening the festival with a wide ranging programme covering their extensive repertoire. Beginning with a combined Choral Evensong at 6pm where they will be joined by the College Schola Cantorum, this is the opening concert in a four day run of acclaimed performances.
Daniel Brittain, Tim Carleston (countertenors), Ben Alden, Dominic Bland (tenors), Andrew Thompson, Simon Whiteley (baritone/bass)
Based at Windsor Castle, the members of The Queen's Six make up half of the Lay Clerks of St George's Chapel, whose homes lie within the Castle walls. This rare privilege demands the highest musical standards, as they sing regularly for the Royal family at both private and state occasions. Most significantly however, it is the familiarity of living and singing together in Chapel every day that lends this group its distinctive closeness and blend, as well as an irresistible informality and charm.
Individually, members of The Queen’s Six have appeared in many of the most prestigious vocal ensembles on the circuit, including The Sixteen, The Tallis Scholars and Tenebrae. Their repertoire extends far beyond the reach of the choir stalls: from austere early chant, florid Renaissance polyphony, lewd madrigals and haunting folk songs to upbeat Jazz and Pop.
Latest recording projects include the Christmas 2015 cover CD for BBC Music Magazine (recently released as a new CD, Lo, how a rose e’er blooming), a CD of secular Tudor music entitled Her Heavenly Harmony: Profane Music from the Royal Court, and a self-produced disc of some of their much loved pop and jazz arrangements, The mood we’re in...